More in Thames Weir guides

Mapledurham Weir

Description: This weir only works if the Thames Valley is under serious flood conditions. The river will be a mile wide in places. People’s homes will be deluged. Hurley weir will be starting to wash out. The situation will be on the news. Cleverly, kayakers have actually correlated the tail level on the lock gauge to how good the wave will be working.

Click the below EA link to find out the pool height, then use the level indictors below to find out if the level is suitable for you to paddle!

Mapledurham has one of the best beginner/intermediate freestyle waves on the Thames. It’s a doddle to paddle. The wave is quite small, not retentive enough to get stuck in, and the water comes in quite flat so it is reasonably hard to catch an edge. Straightforward surfing, flat spins, Low angle blunts, loops and cartwheel moves are the most common things people do. Apart from the main wave, there are a couple of other features that some may be interested in. There are a couple of boxed in holes which you can drag yourself into – and will probably let you out again without a fight.There is a nasty long pourover on the far river left – which I personally have always avoided.

Directions: Find the A329 that connects Pangbourne and Reading. Driving from Reading towards Pangbourne there is a small village callled Purley on Thames. Purley is on the right, down a little road called New Hill, and is sign posted from the A329. Turn right down New Hill, which is very steep, and then go over a railway bridge into a housing estate. When you reach the bottom of the hill, at the sharp right bend turn left and park on that road on the right hand side nearest the field. Walk down the public footpath/private road towards the river. Now starts the really fun part. Access the footpath and walk towards the river. Pretty soon you will come across a gate into a field. Except, if you are there at the right level, the field will look more like a lake. Walk or wade across the field towards the main part of the river. Take, care there is a deep ditch in the middle of the field which can be full of water upto groin height. When you get to the lock area put on to the river. Make sure to look at the tail reading on the gauge at the lock, and let TVF know what it is.